Dear Friends,
I am so happy to wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. May the peace and joy of Christmas fill your hearts and minds.
Find me! Christmas Eve services on Sunday beginning at 3:00 and on Christmas Day at Cornerstone Lutheran Church. 4850 E. Main Street, Carmel. | Cornerstone Lutheran Church
Gene and Carol and Scott will be there to bump into, too!
Happy Holidays, Friends.
It is less than a week until Christmas! Christkindlmarkt is open every day of this week and on Christmas Eve. make sure you get over there. Have you heard your share of Christmas songs on the radio and in the stores? Have you baked cookies and cakes? Have you gone to parties? Don't worry...There is still time to celebrate!
Of is a little word that can trip you up when talking about quantities or amounts of things. Review the rules in our Handouts. Listen for usage. Look for "of" in your daily life. Practice using the phrases in you head as you grocery shop:
Wow! We reviewed phrases and small words (and, the, for, early) and question words. Then we put our review into conversational practice. We circled back to topics several times to cement our understanding. We did not sing Silent Night, but we did talk about the words a bit.
Our meeting was a really fast an furious review and conversation. We are gravitating toward running through a list of vocabulary words that have similar meanings when we get stuck. For example, if I can't remember how to sign Thursday and need help, we have been stopping and reviewing all of the days of the week!
December 19: We will see which way the conversation goes. Anyone is welcome to join us! Jump in and practice with us. And let's practice some New Year vocabulary.
Auld Lang Syne: This version had a great deal of conversation and fingerspelling as well as the small words we use in our conversation this past week in the set up as well as in the song. Also, Dougie MacLean is the artist. Love singing accent!
There is a goldmine of advice, hope, and joy in our readings for the week. Paul's letter to the Colossians
Colossians 1: 15-20 tells the wonderful story of reconciliation with the Creator God through Jesus. Verses 21 and 22 proclaims:
This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
Paul goes on to tell what to ignore and how to live. He emphasizes the difference between opinions and empty rules and the behaviors of a loving life. Paul doesn't neglect the greetings and relationships that are important for a community.
The two letters to the Thessalonians contain newsy accounts of what has happened and prayers for support.
Timothy receives advice and prayers as he ministers to others in 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy. These letters are inspirations for us today and give insight into such details as dealing with deceptive people and the role and restrictions the church (or helping organizations) should take when helping.
December 19: We will finish up our discussions of the Epistles and pick up Revelation after the new year. We
A Christmas Open House at Carolyn's: Thank you to all of you who came! We had great conversation and food. Many of you have never played a Mad Libs game before. The way to play is to make up words that fit the part of speech. Then read the story with the generated words. Here are the links to the fill in the blank stories.
Here are your answers....
and here are links to the original stories.
and
December 21: Our last Zoom of 2023. It has been a good year! We will wind up the year with some songs and conversation.
We Wish You a Merry Christmas: When caroling, singers often end with this song. Great American English stuff here: the swinging cadence of the song, the pronunciations of "w", "r", smashing and dropping consonants, and so much more. Have fun wrapping up your songs.
Learn more about Auld Lang Syne, the famous New Year's song from Song Facts. In the learn and sing along (with a Scottish accent?). Start up the 2024 singing in style!
Mrs. Willard got triple booked December 15, so our meeting was cancelled.
December 22: Let's look at the time range of 1600-1800. Once again, what was happening in your corner of the world and in the world at large? Do events coincide?
Sometimes words or phrases have more than one usage.
age: a period of time marked by a particular feature or central figure (the ice age)
cement: solidify (or the material that sidewalks are made of)
circled back: return to the beginning of a topic
era: a period of a new order of things
get stuck: do not have an answer or solution
gravitating toward: tending to do or like a particular thing
heard your share of/had your share of: had a lot more than enough of something
period: a time in history different from other times because of characteristics or events (or a punctuation mark meaning the end or a women's menstrual cycle)
running through: quickly covering something (or move quickly on foot between objects)
start up: beginning
trip you up: cause someone to make a mistake
triple booked: to have three obligations at the same time
wind up: ending (but a child can get all wound up or excited)
wrap up: ending (not decorate or cover as in wrap up a present)
Hello, Friends.
The holiday season embodies American culture. Good will and festival feelings are contagious. We all get super busy and wedging in parties, events, travel. Everyone wants to touch base with each other and express friendship and love. Stress sometimes abounds! Diffuse short tempers with cookies and good cheer.
If you have not attended a Christian service during Christmas, be sure to take in a service. All are welcome! Many people attend church services where they are on vacation or visiting during the holidays. Many people only attend church on holiday dates.
Christmas is uplifting: Expect joyous songs and music; Bible readings of peace, hope, and fulfillment; prayers of welcome; beautiful decorations.
Cornerstone Lutheran Church (our host organization) offers a variety of times at the different sites. Check the schedule!
The holidays can also be a difficult time for people. As we celebrate, we miss people who have passed away or have moved away. We remember happier times or revisit times that were not . Memories of times past can be bittersweet.
Cornerstone Lutheran Church Blue Christmas Service of Hope: December 18, 6:00 PM Cornerstone Lutheran Church, 4850 East Main Street, Carmel
Blue Christmas by Elvis tells about
The Oxford dictionary posted the slang that has officially become a word: rizzler. Read more about the process and the word in this article from the Business Insider. Be ready to use it and understand it!
Things to do in Hamilton County for the holidays
Christkindlmkt in Carmel at Carter Green Wednesday through Sunday. People are talking the Christkindlmkt in Carmel! Read more about these German-style holiday fairs and about the Carmel event in the National Geographic.
And in keeping with our musical theme: here story of this Carol as well as the original German-which you may hear in different areas of the country or at a Christkindlmkt)
Holiday travel means exposure to the regional colds and flu. The CDC offers a map to help you plan and prepare for the flu and other viruses circulating in the states. Get a flu shot. Wash your hands and use sanitizer. Stay super hydrated. Take care of yourself!
We signed and sang Joy to the World. It is fun to sing along and to learn atypical vocabulary in the context of a song.
December 12: We will sing Silent Night.
Here are two deaf signers signing Jingle Bells.
The Epistles are short and reading them gives us a complete picture, but within them there are gems of wisdom and encouragement. This week the prayers for others were particularly striking in Ephesians. Ephesians 1:15-22 and Ephesians 3:14-20 teaches us how to pray for others and the results.
Ephesians 1:10 and Galatians 4:4 both teach of the events that are ordered by God to happen at the right time; specifically the sending of his Son, Jesus to save the world. This is an important message to all churches
Galatians 3:27 is the comforting love that wraps around us, and verse 28 extends that "blanket" to all people regardless of their sex, race, status.
December 12: We continue our readings and discussion. We are getting down to the wire. What started a daunting task, has been a pleasure. It is surprising how fast and fun this read has been.
We had great conversations and suggestions for our classes and meetings moving forward. Our strategy over the first trimester has been to apply memory and adult learning theory and practice meet American English needs specific to our students in within contexts and context that are relevant (learning grammar, pronunciation, accent is easy when it is applied). Let us know what you need to know as we build our curriculum content and strategy for 2024 (indyintlfriends@gmail.com).
Two of our Friends had a wonderful debate. They had a spirited and civil discussion regarding their opinions about a group and it's meetings. This great example of civil discourse.
Singing songs opened the door to grammar discussions. Check Meetings/Class Notes and Handouts for practice and explanations. Apologies for the quality of the Expressions of Quantity: Multiple pdf screen shots!
December 14, 10:00-12:00: Christmas Open House at Carolyn's. Drop by for conversation and coffee (or other food and drinks)
We had a great discussion about the Meiji Era. Our Friend wrote a great report about the industrialization of silk production in his prefecture. He wrote a wonderful report. You can read it in our Meetings/Class Notes and Handouts page.
December 15: Let's look at the Edo period. The time range for this period is1603-1838. Once again, what was happening in your corner of the world and in the world at large? Do events coincide?
semi colon and commas: use commas to separate list of words, use semi colons to separate groups of words ideas
atypical: uncommon
bittersweet: both happy and sad at the same time
circulating: traveling around or being passed from one person to another, rumors as well as sickness commonly circulate
civil: polite
civil discourse: polite conversation or discussion
diffuse short tempers: make people happy
embodies: when a thought, feeling or idea takes tangible form
good will: feelings and expressions of support and cheer
happier times: joyful past events
in the world at large: out in the world
in your corner of the world: your local area
industrialization: creating an industry
open house: stop by a location at your convenience during a specified time frame
passed away: died
read: (as a noun) the activity of someone who reads
speaking of [topical noun]
spirited: lively, exciting
take in: attend or include in an itinerary
teaches: As verbs the difference between teach and teaches is that teach is to show (someone) the way (I, you, we, they); to guide, conduct while teaches is third-person singular of teach (he, she, it).
uplifting: raising spirits
wedging in: squeezing an event into a busy schedule
Hello, Friends.
The last month of the year is a wonderful month.
We are counting down the days until Christmas. In the U. S., Christmas is celebrated as both a secular and a religious holiday. There are many events and activities that revolve stories of Santa Clause (secular) and spreading good cheer. Look for these classics on TV, in the library, or plays.
December is Singing English Month at International Friends. Songs are a great way to practice listening and speaking (or singing). Accent (which includes the sounds of the words, how they are broken into syllables or sound bytes, the cadence and rhythm of the language) is easy when singing because we hear and repeat a song...not individual words.
The beauty and complexity of music and words helps take the fear of mispronouncing a word (and the fear of not having the correct word) is taken away.
10 Songs to Make Your Language Learning Easy
And to understand how and why this works (thank you, Kathy)
We met and brushed up on our winter and Christmas signs as well as told each other about our Thanksgivings.
From December 5th to the 19th we will be signing Christmas songs! Carol along with us!
Signing songs helps us with our pacing, builds community, and allows us to share holiday music with our deaf friends.
And here is a site that has a list with links for many, many Holiday Songs in ASL.
And to keep us moving forward: 150 Essential Signs.
Our break took us from Romans through 2 Corinthians. These books of the New Testament are letters to the new Christian churches (new as in the new religion that followed Jesus). The Bible Project provides summaries of the historical and social background to help readers understand each of the books.
Romans is filled with hope and contains solid advice that is relevant for our lives. There is information on how to serve, how to understand sin, and the message of hope and blessing of the people that share that hope with others.
Corinthians discusses and advises issues being faced by the people of Corinth. 1 Corinthians 10: 23-30 talks about freedom from social practices (and legal stricture). Paul speaks to doing everything to the glory of God and the benefit of those around by not being rude or off putting, but rejoicing and giving thanks. 1 Corinthians 13 contains the famous passages describing what love is and is not.
We talked about accepting and being accepted. Loving and being loved are keys to good relationships. These human desires are so important to our well being. Rest assured, rather than relying on the judgment of humans we can be confident in the judgement of a loving God.
December 7: We continue our readings with the Epistles. Join the trip through time and find out about the problems that faced people in the different cities and the solutions that come through the grace of God.
First of all, thanks to all the Friends for input for the upcoming year. While the end of the year provides a mindset of reflection, the beginning of the year is one of renewal and resolution. The staff is looking to you to provide input about what you want to learn more about and what skills you want to develop and polish. Email your ideas to Carolyn (indyintlfriends@gmail.com) by December 5.
We wrapped up our month of Vague Language with practical discussions about how we use imprecise words to gain more information or to avoid answering.
December 7: Singing is a great way to build confidence and community. During this holiday season the air is filled with beloved songs. Listen as people hum and sing along. Join in!
December 14: Come to a holiday open house at Carolyn's 10:00 AM-12:00 PM. Sing our carols in person and enjoy face-to-face conversation and too many pets!
December 21: Choir practice continues! Join us for jolly jingles.
This week we caught up with our Friend in Japan. It is interesting to catch up on how he is learning English in Japan.
December 8: The Meiji era in Japan was from 1868 to 1912. Japan moved from a feudal system. What was happening in your home country and in the world during this period of time?
anywhere: not a place in this case, but somewhere in a range
brushed up: review and practice
from...through: these prepositions show direction and are used together to mark time or place or lists. Through indicates inclusion of the totality of the last item. For example, "The sale runs from March through May." The sale begins March 1 and ends May 31.
off putting: not pleasant
passages: a brief portion of a written work or speech that is relevant to a point under discussion or noteworthy for content or style
rest assured: be confidant
solid advice: reliable suggestions
